Lactobacillus reuteri, a newly designated species of Lactobacillus (some strains of this species were previously identified as Lactobacillus fermentum (1, 2)), is a symbiotic resident of the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of humans, swine and other animals. The neotype strain of L. reuteri is DSM 20016 (ATCC No. 53609). This strain and the newly isolated strain 1063 (ATCC No. 53608) are available to the public at the American Type Culture Collection (Rockville, Md.) having been deposited therein under the Budapest Treaty Apr. 17, 1987. The GI tract of animals is a complex ecosystem harboring an estimated 300-500 species of microorganisms, known collectively as the indigenous microbiota. Despite over 100 years of intensive research in the field of intestinal microbiology much remains to be learned about these microorganisms, the complex interrelationships that exist between the different species and the nature of the symbiotic relationships existent between the microbiota and their host.
Under certain conditions some members of the indigenous microbiota can become opportunistic pathogens causing a variety of enteric diseases. More often, however, pathogens gain access to the GI tract as contaminants in food or water. Notable among the latter are a number of bacteria Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, Shigella species, Yersina interocolitica, Vibrio cholera, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Campylobacter jejuni and Clostridium difficile), viruses (e.g., roto-, astro- and ciliciviruses) and intestinal parasites (e.g., Giardia and Entamoeba species). Acute and chronic enteric diseases caused by and other microorganisms occur worldwide causing considerable human misery and loss of economically important animals. Certain microbial activities have also been associated with production of mutagens within the GI tract.
It is also known that the indigenous microbiota exist in a symbiotic or synergistic relationship with their host contributing in many positive (probiotic) ways to the host's general health and well-being. It is well-known that germ-free animals are not particularly healthy and have poorly developed GI tracts. In return for the nutrient-rich and stable ecosystem provided for them, the indigenous microbiota provide their hosts with an assortment of benefits including among others (i) protection against enteric pathogens, (ii) stimulation of normal development and function of the GI epithelial mucosal system, (iv) production of various vitamins and other nutrients and (v) remetabolism of the host's abundant endogenous mucosal tissue.
At the present time there is little understanding of how the composition and numbers of the indigenous microbiota are controlled. It is viewed that these controls are the consequences of complex interactions among the numerous species involving such factors as: redox potential, surface pH, inhibitory effects of fatty acids, hydrogen sulfide, deconjugated bile salts and as yet unidentified inhibitory substances, as well as factors such as competition for limiting nutrients and the ability of the microbiota to associate with and adhere to the epithelial surfaces of the GI tract.
Shortly after birth of an animal, Escherichia coli and enteric streptococci are almost universally the first bacteria to appear in the GI tract. The lactobacilli almost always accompany or immediately follow in sequence and become a dominant bacterial group found in the intestines. It is viewed that the small intestine microorganisms, particularly those belonging to the Lactobacillus and Streptococcus genera, have protective value against bacterial and non-bacterial pathogens and promote healthy weight gains in animals. Being among the more nutritionally fastidious of the enteric microbiota, the lactobacilli are believed to find their ecological niche in the more proximal, nutrient rich regions rather than in the distal regions of the GI tract.
It has been reported on numerous occasions that the lactobacilli (3), which include a large number of nonpathogenic, non-toxic bacteria, play an important probiotic role in the health and well-being of humans and animals. Lactobacillus species are added to human and animal foodstuffs to preserve them, enhance their flavors and/or for probiotic purposes so that these bacteria will become available to the GI tract. Lactobacillus plantarum strains, for example, are grown commercially in large amounts and used as starter cultures for the commercial preservation of a variety of human (meats, vegetables and dairy products) and animal (silage) foods. Lactobacillus acidophilus strains are grown commercially in large amounts to be added to human (e.g., milk) or animal (feedstuffs) foods as a means of introducing these bacteria into the GI tract for probiotic benefits. Reports on the beneficial effects of Lactobacillus therapy have increased in recent years with findings that dietary Lactobacillus therapy (i) affords protection from colon cancer for human populations on western diets (4), (ii) reduces the incidence of experimentally induced large bowel tumors in rats (5), (iii) reduces the fecal concentraction of bacterial enzymes known to catalyze the conversion of procarcinogens to proximal carcinogens in humans (6), and (iv) reduces the serum cholesterol levels in swine (7).
The metabolic endproducts of Lactobacillus metabolism such as acetic acid, lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide are well-known for their antimicrobial activities. Two laboratories have reported that the heterofermentative species Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus buchneri (8) and Lactobacillus strain 208-A (9,10) metabolize glycerol anaerobically. The latter strain carries out an anaerobic dehydration (involving glycerol dehydratase) of 2 moles of glycerol yielding 2 moles of .beta.-hydroxypropionaldehyde which in turn is dismutated to 1 mole of .beta.-hydroxypropionic acid and 1 mole of 1,3-propanediol. Some lactobacilli also produce bacteriocins or bacteriocin-like proteins which exhibit bacteriocidal activity toward other members of that species or closely related species. Some unconfirmed reports have appeared concerning low molecular weight, antimicrobial substances produced by lactobacilli. Although their existence has been predicted for some time, such substances have not been confirmed or isolated.
Following is a summary of what is known concerning antimicrobial activities associated with lactobacilli. In 1907, Metchnikoff (11) proposed that harmful putrefying bacteria residing in the GI tract were inhibited (or antagonized) by acid-producing lactobacilli. Since then a variety of such antagonistic activities associated with lactic acid bacteria have been reported (12). Most often these antimicrobial activities have been found to be associated with major end products of metabolism such as lactic and acetic acids and hydrogen peroxide (13-18). Other reports have appeared concerning antimicrobial activities associated with lactobacilli but not associated with these normal end products of metabolism. Gilliland and Speck (19) reported a broad-spectrum antagonism which varied among different Lactobacillus acidophilus strains tested. Hydrogen peroxide was partially responsible for the inhibitory response. Tramaer (20) showed that L. acidophilus inhibition of E. coli was due to the strong germicidal action of lactic acid at low pH. Formation of an additional inhibitor also was suggested but not identified. Broad spectrum antagonistic substances also have been reported by Shahani et al., Reddy and Shahani, and Hamdan and Mikolagcik (21-25). In each of these reports, the antagonistic substances were produced during Lactobacillus growth in 11% non-fat, dry milk solids and were difficult to distinguish from lactic acid and thus appear to be totally unrelated to reuterin. Of these studies Hamdan and Mikolagcik (24-25) performed the most intensive purification and characterization of the substance they termed acidolin, They found it to be a low molecular weight (approximately 200) compound, free of nitrogen, acidic in nature, and extremely heat resistant. The conditions under which this substance is produced and its acidic nature clearly distinguish it from reuterin. A survey for antagonistic activities among yogurt cultures (26) could not identify inhibitory substances other than lactic acid in strains of L. acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, L. casei, L. helveticus, and L. lactis. One of the L. bulgaricus strains tested had been reported previously to produce an antibiotic termed bulgarican (23).
A number of lactobacilli are known to produce bacteriocins which are proteins exhibiting bacteriocidal activities. Most bacteriocins or bacteriocin-like substances produced by lactobacilli exhibit a narrow range of biological activity. Vincent et al. (27) however reported a broad-spectrum bacteriocin, termed lactocidin, produced by a number of L. acidophilus isolates. No other reports of broad-spectrum bacteriocins produced by lactobacilli have been reported (12). Bacteriocins are polypeptides and their inhibitory properties are destroyed by proteases. Reuterin is not a polypeptide and its antimicrobial activity is unaffected by proteases.
In addition to their ability to produce certain antibiotic substances, Sandine (28) has proposed a number of roles or functions the lactobacilli could play in the human (and animal) intestinal tract. These include: organic acid production, lower pH and oxidation-reduction potential, competitive antagonists, bile deconjugation and carcinogen suppression. Dietary adjunct lactobacilli are deemed beneficial by providing disease therapy, preventative therapy and as a source of needed enzymes.